Report cards next casualty of school strike

With schools behind picket lines for a second week and little hope of a quick settlement, school districts are starting to notify parents that year-end report cards won’t be produced.

Surrey school district superintendent Jordan Tinney posted a notice to parents that even shortened report cards that were planned at the beginning of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation strike won’t be possible.

“The information that we need to produce report cards is in the hands of teachers and they are on strike,” Tinney wrote. “The support staff we normally have to help us develop and print report cards are also honouring the picket lines and are not at work.”

New Westminster superintendent John Gaiptman sent out a similar letter Monday, telling parents not to expect report cards for kindergarten to Grade 8.

“Please be assured that, although you will not receive a final report card, your child will be placed in the next grade level for September,” Gaiptman wrote.

School districts are running buses this week to get Grade 10-12 students to their provincial exams, which have been designated an essential service by the B.C. Labour Relations Board.

Tinney added that summer school plans are looking “very tenuous” in Surrey, and some districts have already canceled their summer instruction.

Education Minister Peter Fassbender has said the partial lockout imposed on teachers will be lifted after year-end administrative days so it does not interfere with summer school programs.